I am probably one of the few in this land that gets excited when they receive the ever dreaded jury summons.  The last time I was called in for jury duty I was about 22 years old.  I sat in a room for eight hours reading a book.  That’s what we did back then, pre iPhone days.  I had a Nokia and took breaks from reading by playing the game Snake.  It was dull, boring and mind numbing. Nonetheless, I was hoping they would call my name.  Nothing, instead they just sent me home with my $5 check.  How times have changed these past 10 years.

So here I was ready to take another crack at jury duty.  I put little V on the bus to school, made sure the huzband was set up for the day (he has been down and out with the flu), packed my bag with a few essentials and headed towards the county Supreme Courthouse.  Full of anticipation in hopes of hearing my name called, even possibly being interviewed, oh I could hardly contain myself.  Throughout the day, I jotted down notes, rather thoughts about my day.  So instead of trying to piece it all together into one flow, here are my random comments from that day.

– Just rode a packed elevator full of lawyers, maybe a judge and who knows whom else up and down the supreme court building.  I was looking for the cafeteria.  It was literally like being in the movies.  I was squeezed into the back of the elevator by a bunch of suites, peering through their shoulders covered in blazers and jelled hair.

– Forgot to bring a water which brought me to the cafeteria.  I swear it’s like another world here in the court building.  Lines of suites to check in for the conference room.  Tables where one person is dressed to the nine awaiting one who I am guessing is not.  The women who helped me in the cafeteria were kind enough to pause their conversation about the pretty shoes in the newspaper advertisement to take my money.

– I am so glad I packed my lunch so that I can be eating the first half of my ham, swiss and avocado on whole wheat sandwich at 9:43 in the morning.  I forgot my banana.

– I got called into one of those rooms where the lawyers are waiting to interview potential jurors.  Mind you, the farthest I have ever made it in my one day of jury duty is the waiting room.  This was big.  I was excited.  I am a nerd.

Oh how quickly I got my hopes up.  Oh how quickly they were dashed, squashed and smashed into pieces!  ( a bit dramatic, I know)

– Everyone files in and finds a seat.  Almost everyone.  Someone doesn’t know how to count and called too many people in.  So after taking attendance, the woman “supposedly” in charge randomly picked four names to leave the room.  Guess who was the fourth name?  I knew once she started that I would be called; call it a gut feeling.  So back to the waiting room I go.

– It is now 10:57 am, is it too early to eat the other half of my sandwich?  If I eat it, what will I eat later?

– Utter disappointment.  Once again the jury system has failed me.  It was a tease to walk into that room.  Here we go, another six plus years of waiting.  I suppose the bright side is they released me by lunchtime so I didn’t have to wonder what I would actually eat for lunch considering I had finished my sandwich before noon.  I do look forward to going home so I can take care of the sick huzband and pick V up from school.

Till next time judicial system!  Till next time….maybe I’ll actually be asked a question, or gasp, two!